Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis

The Northern Lights are one of nature’s great displays: a mysterious, multicoloured show in which the night sky is suddenly lit up with a wondrous glow that twists and swirls like a heavenly lava lamp. It is one of the great, timeless thrills of nature, a beautiful, shifting dance of nocturnal rainbows that many viewers find a humbling and spiritually uplifting experience.

The Science

The lights are formed from fast-moving, electrically charged particles that emanate from the sun. These are driven towards the poles by the Earth’s magnetic field – their varying colours are a result of the different gases in the upper atmosphere. In the northern hemisphere they are known as the aurora borealis and to witness their full glory you will have to head north towards the Arctic, above latitude 60 degrees at the least. Remote locations away from cities and light pollution improve your chances of spotting the lights.

If you are interested in Astronomy then join our 12 day Astronomy Voyage with onboard experts Dr John Mason MBE, Graham Bryant or Ian Ridpath to learn more about the night sky from the deck of the ship plus a visit to the Tromso Planetarium.

Where you go will depend on your budget and the time available. However, it’s important not to become obsessed with the single goal of beholding the aurora, but to see this as just one of many thrills of a winter holiday to the Arctic. Sparkling white landscapes, fairytale ice hotels, romantic husky-sledge rides and cool city breaks are all great reasons to head north in the winter. The hours of darkness increase the farther north you travel, and while the aurora can be sighted at any moment, 9pm to 2am tends to be prime viewing time. Many hotels and cruise ships offer an aurora alarm service if you don’t want to stay up waiting.

Norway

As a short break the 5 day Arctic Highlights Tour from Manchester is ideal. This includes a night in Tromsø and a short cruise from Tromsø to Bergen giving you a taste of the Arctic and a good chance of experiencing the northern lights. This voyage spends its entirety within the Arctic Circle giving you the chance to take part in some fantastic winter excursions to areas of this frozen land that are seldom seen by tourists.

We can offer this amazing trip from with direct flights from Manchester,Gatwick, and Bristol.

For a longer trip there are offers from Hurtigruten on their 12 night voyage down the Norwegian coast visiting 34 ports and experiencing the amazing untamed Arctic scenery - PLUS our Northern Lights Promise menas that if you are unlucky enough not to witness the Northern Lights during your trip you will receive a free 6/7 day voyage free of charge. Ask us for more details about this offer.

For more information call the Adeona Travel team today on: 0161 486 9247

Iceland

If you are on a budget then Iceland, just a 3 hour flight north, might be a good option for a low cost trip with a good chance of seeing the aurora. The flights are frequent and an exciting range of tours can be arranged.

Wherever you go seeing the Northern Lights for the first time is one of those things – you’ll always remember exactly where you were and who you were with.

Swedish Lapland - ICEHOTEL

The ICEHOTEL is located 200 miles within the Arctic Circle in the tiny village of Jukkasjärvi. For almost 30 years it was redesigned and rebuilt every year but in 2017 Icehotel 365 was created and you can now visit at anything time during the year.

December - February is Arctic Winter with extreme temperatures and short daylight hours.

March, April and Early May are Arctic Spring, with long, often sunny days, and mild temperatures.

Summer is short and mild, but with near constant daylight hours thanks to the midnight sun. Good times to visit are January, March & April when the hotel is less busy.

Here is our five top ways to experience the Northern Lights.

In a reindeer sleigh - experiencing the traditional way of Sámi transport through the Arctic landscape as you spot the Aurora Borealis above you in the night sky.

In a hot tub on the deck of a Hurtigruten ship - sailing through the breath-taking scenery covered in crisp white snow, the Northern Lights complete the perfect scene.

Dog sledging in Tromsø - being pulled or taking turns driving the sledge with the Northern Lights shining overhead.

On deck with a hot drink, the camera set up on your tripod creating that perfect Northern Light photograph.

Floating in the Secret Lagoon, a natural hot spring, located in the small village of Fludir, Iceland. Listen to relaxing music by Sigur Ros on underwater loudspeakers whilst watching the night sky.

What to take

Pack clothes in layers as you would for a skiing or winter holiday, including a hat, gloves, waterproof jacket, thermal underwear and boots. Many hotels provide guests with a thermal suit and boots for snowmobile trips and outdoor activities. A driving license is required to drive a snowmobile. Photographers will need a tripod, and don’t forget your swimming gear for the hot tub.

What our customers say:

"Being away from home when you are in a wheelchair can be daunting, but Adeona Travel always go the extra mile to ensure that everything is in place for a problem free holiday, double checking that the rooms and facilities are what we need and transport arrangements are right. Take care."Ian and Jean Porter, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire

"We first started using Adeona Travel (then Travel Tailormade), about 15 years ago when they were our local travel agents in Gatley. We have stayed with them throughout, even when they moved their premises across the A34 to Cheadle Hulme. The reasons we always use their services are firstly and very importantly, the knowledge, experience and friendliness of all the staff."Brian & Carol Greene, Gatley, Cheadle, Cheshire